Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide

Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide

Grand Teton National Park was the first of 4 national parks that I explored this summer (summer 2021). Originally, we had planned to spend 3 days exploring, but after the second day we decided to head out early and drive to Yellowstone. On average, 3 days is more than enough time to explore Grand Teton, but it can be done in 2 or in 5 depending on what your interests are.

Here you will find some of the most popular attractions, top rated hikes, convenient lodging accommodations, and a packed 2-day itinerary I put together. Between the beautiful snow capped mountains, scenic hikes, and wild animals, you are sure to have a fun filled and busy couple of days!

Quick Facts:

Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Size: 310,000 acres / 1254 sq km
Annual Visitors: 3.4 million in 2019
Established: 1929 as a National Park
Visitor Centers: Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center, Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Colter Bay Visitor Center (all visitor centers are closed during the winter)
Entrance Fee: $35 per vehicle; $70 annual pass (or $80 for America the Beautiful Pass)

Grand Teton Top Attractions:

Mormon Row: Mormon Row was unique, but I’m not sure I would consider this a must see in Grand Teton. If you are more into nature and hiking I would not spend time in Mormon row, however, if you like exploring older, abandoned, buildings then this might be a stop that you will want to make. Personally, I don’t think you need more than 30 minutes to an hour here so plan accordingly.

Chapel of the Transfiguration Episcopal: This cute little active chapel is a must see during your trip. You don’t need much time here, but the view of the mountain range from inside is beautiful. Don’t forget to ring the bell and sign the guest book before you leave!

Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point: Although Jenny Lake is beautiful and the views from inspiration point are amazing, just know that this stop is a major tourist attraction. When you get to Jenny Lake, you can either chose to walk around the lake to get to inspiration point and Hidden Falls, or you can take the boat across the river for a pretty penny ($50 round trip for 2 adults and 2 kids or $18 a person round trip). If you are planning on visiting Jenny Lake, I highly recommend walking around the lake rather than taking the boat. Depending on which side of the lake you decide to walk on, it’s either a 2.4-mile walk or a 5 mile walk to get to the other side (this will be made known when you start walking). Once you make it over, you have a .5-mile walk to hidden falls, and an additional .5-mile hike to inspiration point. The hike from hidden falls to inspiration point is a little challenging so just be prepared for that and have plenty of water. This is another hike that I also recommend starting earlier in the morning since it is such a popular attraction. I went around 1 in the afternoon and not only was its crazy hot outside, but the trails were extremely busy and it was difficult to find a parking spot.

Scenic Boat ride through Snake River: A scenic boat ride down Snake River is a great way to get a feel of the Grand Tetons, see some wildlife, and relax. There are multiple companies that offer scenic boat rides and they all have great reviews. I went with Mad River and really enjoyed it. If you are looking for something a little more adventurous, you may want to consider the white-water rafting option instead. Most of the scenic boat companies also offer white-water rafting so it shouldn’t be too difficult to book anything if you plan far out enough.

Taggert Lake Trailhead: The Taggert Lake Trailhead was by far my favorite hike in all of Grand Teton. This (about) 4-mile round trip hike takes you to one of the best viewing spots of the Grand Teton Mountains along Taggert Lake. I recommend starting the hike earlier in the day (around 7:30 – 8:00) as the trail will not be crowded and the mountain range will be reflecting onto the lake. This hike is fairly easy as long as you are okay with walking for about 2.5 hours on uneven surfaces. From the car park, the hike to the lake is about 1.6 miles. Once you get to the lake, you can either chose to turn around and take the same 1.6-mile trail back (3.2 total miles) or complete the full circle which is 2.4 miles back to the car park (4 total miles). I highly recommend completing the full circle because the views heading back to the car park on this trail were amazing.

Jackson: Jackson is a cute little town that I highly recommend visiting before you leave Grand Teton National Park if this is not where you chose to lodge. Not only is this where you will find the famous Antler Arch, but the restaurants and little shops make it the perfect place to spend the evening after a long day of exploring the park. Be sure to try anything Huckleberry, its delicious!

Additional Information:

Lodging: If you wish to stay in the park, there are a few different options to pick from. Right in the center of the park you have Jenny lake Lodge, or if you continue north, you can pick from Signal Mountain Lodge, Jackson Hole Lodge, or Colter Bay Lodge. These room fill up fast, so it is recommended to book about a year in advance if you wish to stay in the National park. Another option is to stay in Jackson which is right outside the south entrance. I would recommend staying here since there are more food options, local shops, and more budget friendly hotels.

Food: Food options in every national park are not the best. This is why I really recommend keeping a cooler in your car to store food and drinks for lunch and dinner depending on how long you plan to stay throughout the day. Although there are a few places to find food in the park, options are very limited, prices are very high, and the food is okay at best (burgers and sandwiches). This is a great way to also save money and have more time to spend exploring!

GPS System: If you only take away one thing from this entire post it should be this!! The GyPSy Guide App was one of the best things my family did the entire trip and I highly recommend you download it also. The app itself is free however, you do have to pay a small amount to get access to the different parks and cities showcased. There is an option to purchases the ultimate guide to both Grand Teton and Yellowstone for $9.99 and it is totally worth it. All you have to do is open the app and turn it on when you enter the park and the guide will take you places off the path from the rest of the crowds and give facts that you wouldn’t have known otherwise. There are so many things I would have missed had I not downloaded this app it was honestly amazing.

Popular Hikes:

(ranked from most popular by Alltrails.com)

• Cascade Canyon Trail (moderate, 9.1 miles)
• Taggart Lake Jenny lake Trail (moderate, 7.9 miles)
• Jenny Loop (easy, 3.8 miles)
• Delta Lake Via Lupine Meadows Access (hard, 8.2 miles)
• Hidden Falls Trail (easy, 4.9 miles)
• Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loop  (moderate, 6 miles)
• String Lake Trail (easy, 4.4 miles)
• Bradley Lake Trail (moderate, 5.1 miles)
• Inspiration Point via Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle (moderate, 1.1 miles)
• Schwabacher’s Landing Trail (easy, 1.8 miles)
• Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail (easy, 2.5 miles)

Ultimate Grand Teton Two Day Itinerary:

Day 1: (South of Grand Teton National Park)

• Taggert Lake Trailhead
• Scenic River boat ride or white water rafting down Snake River
• Mormon row Historic District
• Chapel of the Transfiguration Episcopal

Day 2: (Middle and North of Grand Teton National Park)

• Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
• Signal Mountain Driving Road
• Jackson Lake
• Willow Flats Overlook
• Jackson Lake Overlook

More National Park Guides HERE!!